


Valentine's Day Surprises

by Hot_Wheels



Series: Return to the Light Side [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: AU-Canon & Non-Canon, Gen, One-Shot, Sequel, post-DH
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-09
Updated: 2016-06-09
Packaged: 2018-07-14 01:00:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7145663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hot_Wheels/pseuds/Hot_Wheels
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p></p><div class="center">
  <p> </p>
  <p>    <b>#######################</b><br/></p>
</div><div class="center">
  <p><b>SUMMARY:</b> <i>A one-shot, post-<b>Reconciliations and Reunions.</b> Two young witches receive surprises.</i></p>
</div><div class="center">
  <p> </p>
  <p>    <b>#######################</b><br/></p>
</div>
            </blockquote>





	Valentine's Day Surprises

**Author's Note:**

>  
> 
> **#######################**  
> 
> 
> **A/N:** _This also includes a brief recap of some of the books, notably **CoS** , **PoA** , **OotP** , and **DH**._
> 
>  
> 
> **#######################**  
> 

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Monday, 2/14/2000**

A group of 7th-Year Gryffindors could be heard noisily re-entering their Common Room after supper. Though the meal (as usual) had been ample, each student had a "sweet tooth" that needed to be satisfied. _**"Chocolate frogs, here we come!"**_ declared Ron Weasley, 19, as he led the charge.

Ron was one Gryffindor who _should've_ already been a Hogwarts alumnus; however, he, Hermione Granger, and Harry Potter had spent what **_would've_** been their 7th Year tracking down and destroying the Horcruxes of Lord Voldemort. Once the Horcruxes were gone, the demise of the Dark Lord himself had been quick, thanks to fellow Gryffindor (now alumnus) Neville Longbottom's dispatching of Nagini, Voldemort's snake (and final Horcrux).

"You're **always** hungry!" teased George, the next-youngest Weasley son. He (and his twin brother, Fred) had left school early, during the cruel reign of Delores Umbridge. Umbridge had started the 1995-96 school year as the Defense Against the Dark Arts "teacher", but her "lessons", at best, had been lacking (she'd refused to let the students practice what they were reading; this had resulted in the formation of the student-led "Dumbledore's Army"), and her disciplinary methods had been simply barbaric.

Umbridge had even usurped then-Headmaster Albus Dumbledore's position; after forcing him out, she had become Headmistress of Hogwarts during that terrible year.

Fred, then 20, was among those who were gone now--killed while helping countless others defend the school two springs earlier--but not forgotten.

In fact, for those who had fought during what was the 1997-1998 school year (whether or not they'd attended school), resigning themselves to the mundane had been hard.

It had also been hard--even as the post-battle dust was still settling--to see the state of the grounds of Hogwarts, littered with the debris of so many wand blasts, and general destruction, that spring.

**~~~~~**

Afterwards, Headmistress Minerva McGonagall had led the efforts to restore the school to its previous magnificent condition. She'd been supported by new Minister of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt, and by his revamped Ministry.

Hogwarts _ideally_ would have reopened in September of 1998; however, not even Magic had been enough to even **_begin_** proper rebuilding; the school's Floo Network had been just one of the major sources of consternation.

Finally, though, the time had come. Owls had gone out to the returning students, to finish their interrupted training and education; also, incoming First-Years (both 11- and 12-year-olds, since there had been no new admissions the year before) had been contacted by owl, or by home visit (for Muggleborns, and Muggle-raised Halfbloods).

Minerva had even "invited" Harry, George, Ron and Draco (plus a few others) to return, so that they could complete _their_ educations...even though this meant that some of the older ones would be sharing classes with the youngest Weasley, 17-year-old Ginny. (Of course, Hermione had needed no such "invitation" to return...in fact, she'd been pestering McGonagall about the re-opening date!)

**~~~~~**

Since Voldemort's death, it had been surreal for Harry, Hermione and Ron to realize that there would no longer be any constant upcoming battles against the forces of Dark Magic.

Mother Nature, however, had "her" own "tricks"; therefore, it was still necessary to prepare for anything, Additionally, many former supporters of Voldemort still lived, and carried grudges against the forces of Good, so it was wise to be prepared on _that_ front, as well.

Fortunately, surprising new allies had emerged soon after the end of the long war. The Pureblood Malfoy family--Narcissa, and former, but now Cleansed, Death Eaters Lucius and Draco--now were proud to support the cause of Good. They could "read" any signs of upcoming trouble, and were ready to keep Kingsley and Minerva updated, should the need present itself.

Not only had the Malfoy family spurned the Dark Lord (albeit a seemingly last-minute action **1** ; few realized, let alone accepted, that the Malfoys had endured a humiliating "house arrest" by Voldemort those last few months), Lucius and Draco were just two of many Death Eaters (the ones who'd lived, that is) who'd later lost the infamous Dark Mark--which had been burned into the skin by the Dark Lord, and had previously been presumed to be a permanent fixture--starting with, in the late spring of 1998, Draco. (Lucius would lose his Mark a few months later, in early June, 1999, just after Draco's 19th birthday, in fact.)

It was as if Voldemort's vanquishing had triggered a reversal of at least _some_ of his non-fatal atrocities, although the Cleansing _itself_ was highly traumatic, since the Dark Marks agonizingly "burned off" the Death Eaters' arms.

That May, Lucius had found a fallen Hermione in Diagon Alley, ironically mere days before losing his Dark Mark. The young Muggleborn had gone there for a key Potion ingredient, so she could track down her parents. They'd moved from London, England, to Sydney, Australia--an act which had kept them alive--after they'd been Obliviated by their daughter.

Lucius had then taken the injured witch back to Malfoy Manor, to care for her injuries; once there, the Pureblood family had persuaded a terrified Hermione to let Narcissa remove the cruel epithet that Bellatrix Lestrange, her late sister, had carved onto the Muggleborn witch's arm, when she, Ron and Harry had been among the captives at the Manor, in 1998.

In return for the Malfoys' kindness--and with help from everyone from Ginny (who'd recalled a N. E. W. T.-Level Charm) to an Australian Wizarding Academy which McGonagall had recommended--a grateful Hermione (plus Harry Potter and the rest of the Weasleys, including Fleur Delacour Weasley, Bill's wife), **and** the formerly-missing Herman and Jeanine Granger had gladly--even proudly--escorted Lucius fully "into the Light ". **2**

Since then, the unlikely compatriots (the Malfoys were now **far** more accepting of non-Purebloods) had celebrated every birthday, wedding anniversary and holiday together. The matriarchal Pureblood witches (now friends, despite the fact that Molly had killed Bellatrix) had joined with Hermiones's Muggle mother, Jeanine, to begin secret, celebratory plans for a couple of long-overdue "announcements"; these plans would, no doubt, embarrass "certain" witches and wizards to no end!

**~~~~~**

The students' idle chatter and reminiscing were interrupted by a thunderous voice.

 **"Not so fast!"** declared new Gryffindor House Head, Rubeus Hagrid, as the five headed for the dorms. "You've got some work to do in the Common Room first!"

When McGonagall had first appointed Hagrid to succeed her as Head of Gryffindor House (the same position **she'd** held, firstly under Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, secondly, in Harry's 5th Year, under temporary Headmistress Umbridge--thank goodness _that **had**_ been temporary!!--and, finally, under Headmaster Severus Snape. Minerva had also served as Headmistress when a more nefarious Lucius Malfoy had had Dumbledore removed, temporarily, during Harry's Second Year, and again, after Dumbledore's death, four years later...until Voldemort's regime had installed Snape as Headmaster), there had been grumblings of protest. Hagrid's previous positions had been Keeper of Game and Keys, and Care of Magical Creatures.

Firstly, some in the Ministry felt that someone who hadn't even completed his schooling (Hagrid had been framed--by none other than Tom Riddle, the wizard who'd already declared himself "Lord Voldemort" among his _clique_ \--and then expelled during his Second Year) shouldn't hold such a position. Hagrid, however, had been a most important part of the entourage escorting Harry Potter from his childhood home in Surrey, in 1997, allowing "The Boy Who Lived" to fulfill his prophesied destiny.

The second objection had come from Hagrid himself: He'd argued that he was better equipped to handle _non-human_ "Magical Creatures" than **_human_** ones. McGonagall had won him (and the Ministry) over, though...so here he was.

**~~~~~**

" _ **What**_ work?" grumbled George. The 21-year-old was in a foul mood, having been bested (again!) in Charms class, not only by Hermione (which wasn't surprising; she usually scored the highest marks, anyway), but also by 18-year-old Ginny.

"Those...!" Hagrid answered, pointing.

Ginny and the trio of famous Gryffindors approached the combination fireplace/Floo, then the two witches in the group spotted a couple of wrapped bundles.

As they neared the bundles, their Housemates parted. Ginny and Hermione failed to notice that Harry, Ron and even George had hung back....

"Ginny... **LOOK!** " exclaimed Hermione, pointing at twin red boxes. Each had a Muggle helium balloon drifting above it. Each balloon had one witch's name on it, as did each package.

Forgetting the calendar date, Ginny and Hermione--who'd been discussing the Malfoys at supper--first thought the packages they'd spied were _from_ the Malfoys.

**~~~~~**

Ginny gasped, "Where did _those_ come from?"

"I'm not sure...but they **do** have our names on them!" Hermione responded, now beginning to rip the red paper off one long box. Ginny began doing the same to the box bearing her name.

Once unwrapped, the witches found matching bouquets of long-stemmed red roses. All students in the Common Room shared in the gasps of awe, and the exclamations of delight from the two lucky recipients.

"They're _beautiful!_ " exclaimed a First-Year girl. Everyone else murmured agreement.

"Now I wonder...?" Hagrid "pondered" aloud, in a manner that made all of his charges laugh. No one would be surprised to learn that the Head of Gryffindor House already knew the answer.

Ginny and Hermione's faces were almost as red as their roses, as they opened the enclosed cards. Behind them, George nudged Harry and his brother. "That's the most red I've seen since 'Professor' Lockhart's Valentine's Day decorations!" he joked.

**~~~~~**

No, the roses weren't from the Malfoys (and neither witch ever revealed the contents of those secret Valentine greetings); however, each now saw a pleasant vision of her future.

Hermione Granger--despite the dire predictions of some of those around her, who felt that her heart was leading her in a wrong direction--would always treasure the sentiments expressed in the note ending in:

_**"Love always,** _

_**"Ron"** _  


**••••••••••**

Ginny Weasley--the first _witch_ born in the Weasley line in over 100 years, after several generations of only _**wizards**_ \--now seemingly saw her very existence as pre-ordained...for **her** Valentine's Day note was signed:

_**"Love,** _

_**"Harry"** _

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> **1** _This, of course, is more from **DH2**._
> 
> **2** _A quick recap of **Reconciliations and Reunions** ; it may just help to read it first!_ **;-)**
> 
> * * *


End file.
